Anke Redl (center), China representative of German Films, Robin Mallick (right), director of the Goethe-Institut China, and Stephan Grabherr, deputy head of mission at the German Embassy in Beijing, attend the opening of the 11th Festival of German Cinema in China, in Beijing on Nov 17, 2023. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 11th Festival of German Cinema in China, a significant annual Sino-German cultural exchange event, kicked off at the Goethe-Institut in Beijing on Friday.

Jointly presented by German Films and the Goethe-Institut China with the support of the German Embassy in China, this year's event brings Beijing film buffs a selection of 12 new feature-length German productions spanning across genres such as drama, comedy, documentary, thriller and interactive cinema.

When Will It Be Again Like It Never Was Before, a comedy directed by Sonia Hayes, opened the festival. The director participated in a post-screening online Q&A session.

The film follows a seven-year-old boy, Joachim, growing up on the grounds of one of Germany's largest psychiatric hospitals that his father manages. The film was selected for the Generation 14 plus of the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival.

Sonia Hayes, director of Will It Be Again Like It Never Was Before, a comedy directed by Sonia Hayes, participates in a post-screening online Q&A session at the opening of the 11th Festival of German Cinema in China on Nov 17, 2023. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Other films featured at the event include Music, winner of the Silver Bear at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival; The Forest Maker, the latest documentary by Volker Schlöndorff, acclaimed as one of the Four Masters of the New German Cinema; and The Ordinaries and Seven Winners in Tehran, two other festival favorites.

Anke Redl, China representative of German Films, said she was happy the 11th German Film Festival has returned to its original schedule because the event's 10th edition had been postponed due to COVID-19 and was held in March this year.

Robin Mallick, director of Goethe-Institut China, said that bringing German artists back to Beijing is a great pleasure after a long four-year period.

Aelrun Goette, director of In a Land That No Longer Exists will present her film to the Chinese audience in Beijing as part of the Festival of German Cinema. She will attend two screenings of her film, at the German Embassy School on Nov 22 and at the Goethe-Institut on Nov 25. Goette will also join He Xiaopei, director of the documentary Bad Women of China, for a panel discussion titled "A Dialogue between German and Chinese Female Filmmakers" at the Goethe-Institut on Nov 25.

On Dec 10, a special back-to-back screening of three films, In the Blind Spot, One Last Evening and Mittagsstunde, will be held at DDC Dusk Dawn Club in Beijing.

Dr. Stephan Grabherr, deputy head of mission at the German Embassy in Beijing, said he hoped the festival would travel to more Chinese cities, allowing more people to see German films.

All screenings for the 11th Festival of German Cinema in China are free to the public. Check out the Official WeChat Account of the Goethe-Institut for more screening information.

Poster for In a Land That No Longer Exists [photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]